Artificial-ice-harvesting apparatus



H. D. POWNALL ARTIFICIAL ICE HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed May 2,

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l VV //////W 7/? Jan. 6. 1925. 1,521,709

H. D. POWNALL ARTIFICIAL ICE HARVESTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1921 MA (9.7mm

Patented Jan. 6, 1925.,

STATE PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY D. POWNALLOOF CANTON, OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL-ICE-HARVESTING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 2, 1921. Serial No. 466,375.

"My invention relates to iniproved apparatus for removing blocks of artificial ice from their molds after the blocks have been thawed loose from the molds, and for detaching the removing or lifting apparatus from the ice blocks at the entrance to the storage room. One of its objects is to provide improved apparatus to be supported with reference to the ice molds and to be frozen into the ice blocksto afford means to readily and reliably lift the ice blocks from their molds and transport the blocks by crane, hoist or similar means to the place of storage. Another object is to provide such apparatus capable of lifting the ice, from the molds and'being later detached from the ice blocks without materially injuring or affecting the appearance .of the ice. Another object is to provide such lifting apparatus, adapted to reliably lift ice blocks even though the cores of the ice blocks have not become firmly and completely frozen, at the time they are to be removed. Another object is to provide lifting apparatus not liable to be released from the ice blocks due to accidental fracture of the ice blocks.

Another object is to provide improved lift-' 'ingmeans in combination with improved means to release the lifting means from the ice blocks after the blocks have reached their point of storage. Another object is to provide improved means for lifting the blocks and releasing the lifting means from the blocks adapted to be operated in a substantially dry condition, .thereby avoiding unnecessary moisture on the tank room floor or in the atmosphere of the tankrooni. My invention also comprises certain details of form, combination and arrangement, all of which will be fully set forth in the description .of the accompanying drawings in 50 which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an ice mold illustrating the application of my improved ap aratus to lift the ice block from the mo (1.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of an ice block removed from its ice mold and with the apparatus in position to be released from the ice block.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the thawing or releasing member.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the thawing or releasing member in its position of rest, and drainage whereby. dampness is avoided.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention in which 14 represents an artificial ice mold, and 15 a block of artificial ice formed there in. In practice the-freezing process commences at the side walls of the ice molds and progresses from the four walls inward-. ly until there'is only a small opening vertically along the center of the block, Where upon the more or less impure and impregnated core water is preferably withdrawn and its place taken by fresh raw water or with distilled water which is refrigerated for a further period until the core of the ice block is completely or practically solidi-' fied. This core 17 however unless the ice block is subjected to refrigeration for an excessively long time, being the last to freeze, and more remotely located relative to the source of refrigeration and soggy from the effect of salts dissolved in the core water, is less firmly congealed and less able to form an anchorage for, or to support the weight of the ice block. I

In order to afford a "firm and reliable anchor or support by means of which to lift the ice blocks from-their molds, I provide a cross bar '18 adapted to span the top of the ice mold and to rest at opposite ends upon the upper edges of opposite walls of the ice mold. The cross-bar 18 is provided at its center with a notch l9 to receive the hook of a crane or hoist when the ice block is to be lifted from itsmold. Depending from the cross-bar 18 upon opposite sides of the center are two tubular projections 20 extending downwardly into the water or ice in the ice mold and on opposite sides of 'the' localitywhere the core ofthe ice is formed, so that'said projections extend into and are adapted to be frozen into and firmly anchored in the ice block on opposite sides;

of the core and anchored into the ice block before the core is fully closed and congealed. The projections 20 in order toavoid unnecessary weight and to provide for releasing them from the ice blocks when desired are constructed from tubular stock preferably threaded at their upper ends into thecross-bar l8, and have their lower ends closed by means of plugs 21 which serve to prevent water from the ice molds entering the, interior ofsaid tubes.

The cross bars- 18 and projections 29' are placed in position on the ice molds as soon as the ice molds have been filled with fresh water, and remain in that position until the projections. 20 are firmly frozen into the block of ice and afford a means by which the ice block may be lifted from the ice mold after ithas been thawed loose from the walls by me'ans of a traveling crane to'any desired position, usually the entrance to an ice storage room. I

After the ice. block has reached its destination by way of the traveling crane it 1s deposited upon the floor by the crane adj acent to a tubular pedestal or supporting member 24 mounted upon the floor and adapted to drain any moisture deposited therein through the floor to a tanlr beneath,

or if desired to a branch sewer conduit. lhe

upper portion of the pedestal 24 serves to telescopically receive the tubular arms 25 of a forked or U-shaped releasing member 26 which is provided with a handle 27 and a valve 28 adapted to be opened by pressure from the end of a valve stem 29, which is preferably automatically or spring actuated (to automatically close the valve as soon as pressure on the stem'29 is released. lhe releasing member 26 is connected by means of a section of flexible tubing 30 with a stationarily located supply pipe, 31 adapted to be supplied with warm air or vwith steam or hot water under relatively low pressure. To release the projections 20 and cross bar 18 from an ice block the insulated handle 27 is grasped and the member 26 lifted from the pedestal 2 1 and its arm 25 telescopically inserted into the interior of the projections 20, then the valve stem 29 is pressed by the i operator to open the valve 28 and admit warm air or steam or hot water through the arms 25, to the lower ends of the interior of the pro ections 20, and to thereby warm said projections suficiently to thaw them loose from the ice block and to enable the of the valve 28 or other cause, will he drained downwardly through the bores of the pedestal and. thereby dampness on the floor or in the atmosphere of the room due to the releasing mechanism will be almost entirely avoided. As soon as the projections 20 and cross-bar. 18 have been released from the ice block and returned for further use,

.the ice block is' passed on to the storage room'or delivery shoot.

The apparatus herein illustrated and described is capable of considerable modification without departing -from the principle of my invention. a

What I claim is:

Apparatus for removing artificial ice blocks from ice molds comprising a cross bar to rest across the upper end of an ice mold through the freezing operation and. adapted to be lifted from the ice mold by a hoist, a plurality of vertically disposed tubular members sealed at their lower ends and open at their "upper ends and rigidly mounted in vertical perforations extending through said cross-bar, bers extending downwardly from said crossbar into the water in the ice mold to be frozen into the ice block at opposite sides of ,the core of the ice block and in firm ice intermediate of the core and side walls of the ice block, said cross-bar and tubular members being adapted to withdraw the ice block from the ice mold, and to be subsequently released therefrom by introducing heat into the closed .lower ends of said tubular mem bers through the open upper ends of said tubular members.

In testimony whereof I have afixed my signature.

said tubular mem 

